The Healthy Deviant

How are you?? No, how are you really??

"Clearly, most of us are not doing fine right now. And even if you are currently doing "fine", I don't want you to settle for that. I don't want you to sign yourself over to that deadly brand of mediocrity. I want you to know that you don't have to. I want you to experience what it feels like to fully inhabit your body-mind and feel weirdly radiant, resilient, and good in your own skin. I want you to throw off the shackles of "fine" and "normal" and "okay" and leave them in the dust. I want you to abandon all the conventions and unquestioned choices that are causing you pain....

...The way I see it, adhering to our society's default patterns and its unrealistic health-improvement prescriptions has gotten us trapped in a vitality-sucking, downward spiral. Nobody official and authoritative is coming to save us. It's up to us to find our own way out. So here, conspiring together, that's what we're going to do. I'm going to share the unexpected, counterintuitive escape plan that worked for me, and I'm going to help you discover (i.e., hatch) a Healthy Deviant plant that works for you."

- Gerasimo, P. (2020). The Healthy Deviant: A Rule Breaker's Guide to Being Healthy in an Unhealthy World. North Atlantic Books, California, 21-22.

I'm really excited about this book!! So I thought I'd start my blog post series about what works for me with it. Because it is a great place to start. It's where I started (even though at the time I didn't have the book) and it's where I still come back to when life gets a little wobbly.

I first heard Pilar Gerasimo speak at an Ancestral Health Conference nearly 3 years ago and developed an instant woman crush. So much of her story resonated with me. Her down to earth, evidence-based approach of how we can be happier, healthier humans in a predominantly unhappy and unhealthy society SO we in turn can then contribute to a happier healthier world is amazing. I have been following her ever since, which has been hard, because like me she has been hermiting, unlike me, she has been writing this amazing book The Healthy Deviant.

I sometimes say to my friends "Omg, you have to read this book! It will change your life!". And they kind of look at me and are like "oook Sandy...". They might even humour me and borrow it. And I get it, Everyone's different. What resonates for one person, won't necessarily resonate for someone else. And there are so many books out there promising life-changing experiences. But honestly guys, you need to read this book! This book is different. Why?

It's easy to read, accessible, fun and simple to follow. It lays out WHY we are struggling in today's society and, more importantly, HOW we can change this. It's not dogmatic in its approach, it's not a diet and exercise book (shock horror), it doesn't promise a one size fits all solution but rather gives you the power to choose your own way to living a happier and healthier life. It's fun and rebellious and, yes, it will change your life. Even if you're already on the Healthy Deviant spectrum, it's worth a read because at least it makes you feel like you are not alone and a dare say it will still give you something to think about or adjust.

I'm aware of how often I used the words happier, healthier and amazing in this post but sorry, not sorry, that just sums it up!

Happy, healthy, amazing reading!

#healthydeviant #greatreads #pilargerasimo